Lancashire-headquartered WEC Group has answered the government’s call to assist in the UK’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Darwen-based engineering and fabrication company joined other UK manufacturers to produce ventilators for the NHS and essential medical equipment for the newly established Nightingale Hospitals.
Despite the challenging trading conditions brought on by lockdown restrictions and social distancing rules, WEC Group successfully repurposed some of their manufacturing facilities to aid in the fight against the virus. By leveraging their extensive capabilities and experience in medical manufacturing, the company quickly promoted their services through social media. Within days, they engaged with the VentilatorChallengeUK consortium, which aims to produce 10,000 ventilators for the NHS.
The consortium, which includes prominent companies such as BAE Systems, Airbus, McLaren, and Penlon, utilised their industrial, technological, and engineering expertise to tackle this significant task. Following a swift pre-qualification process, WEC’s Laser Engineering division in Darwen secured an order to produce and deliver a batch of laser-cut and folded parts for ventilator trolleys within 24 hours of receiving the enquiry. With the successful approval of these parts, WEC has now moved to larger batch production with ongoing weekly deliveries.
Wayne Wild, WEC Group’s Commercial Director, stated, “Our marketing and sales teams responded superbly to offer our full range of services to the new ventilator supply chain. We’ve secured key contracts for the NHS, and we’re proud to contribute by producing parts and equipment to fight the virus. Our team’s dedication to meet an ambitious time-frame has been outstanding.”
Additionally, WEC Group won a significant contract from an existing client to provide laser cutting and stainless steel fabrication for the new Nightingale Hospital at the NEC in Birmingham. The company’s Machining division also secured a contract to supply 8,000 precision-machined parts for the ventilator system, supported by their new Miyano ABX-64SYY CNC sliding head lathe.
Mr. Wild continued, “We delivered three arctic lorries full of parts on Good Friday for the new Nightingale Hospital. These parts were laser cut and fabricated in just four working days despite the current challenges. We are preparing for another similar delivery next week. Our team’s dedication over the Easter Bank Holiday was remarkable. We are also tendering for the supply of fabricated assemblies for specialist hospital beds and deeply appreciate our staff’s outstanding sense of duty despite the challenging conditions.”
WEC Group remains committed to supporting clients in key industries essential to the country’s COVID-19 response, including medical and research equipment, food processing, and commercial delivery vehicles. For a full list of their manufacturing services, please visit their Services Page.